Apparatus for the manufacture of boots and shoes.



A. L. RUSSELL.

APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 29, I910.

. Patented July 18, 1916.

l/l//7/V5555. 202% CW 0.. wumm:

* f or s Ares ARTHUR L. RUSSELL, OF HYDE PARK, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 UNITED SHOE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented- J uly 18, 1916.

Application filed August 29, 1910. Serial No. 579,580.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR L. BUssnLL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hyde Park, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Boots and Shoes, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the draw-' ings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to the manufacture of boots and shoes, particularly welt shoes. It is one present custom to make welt shoes on a last which will remain in the shoe throughout the several making operations until the shoe reaches the finishing" room, while, on the other hand, in other factories it is sometimes the practice to withdraw the last temporarily during the heeling opera tion and then return the same last or a filler last to the shoe for completing the making operations. If the heeling is done with the last in the shoe, a particularly strong last must be employed which is more expensively constructed than a last which does not require this special strength and even such a strong last is not satisfactorily durable, while it is heavy to handle because of the strong construction required. On the other hand, the removal of the last for the heeling operation and the return of the last orv filler to the shoe, distort the shoe at a stage in its manufacture when the materials have not become permanently set in conformity to the shape of the last. This distortion of the shoe while it is in its formative stage is seriously objected to by manufacturers of high grade shoes, while the labor cost involved in removing and reinserting lasts is a material consideration in making cheaper grades of shoes.

An object of the present invention is to provide a last by the use of which substantially the advantages of both systems, as well as other advantages, may be secured, and the main disadvantages of both systems avoided. To this end, a feature of the invention comprises a last having a rear part which can be movedout of normal relation to the remainder of the last, thus facilitating heeling the, shoe independently of said rear part, the remainder of the last being so constructed as to hold the fore part of the shoe under lasting tension independently of said rear part.

Another feature of the invention coinpris'es a last having a detachable heel part, and avfore part constructed and arranged to be fastened against displacement in a shoe.

Another feature comprises a last having a fastener for the fore part which can be moved downwardly and rearwardly to hold the fore part in position independent of the presence or absence of the heel part.

A further feature of the invention comprises a last having a movable heel part and having spurs adapted to be projected into an innersole, and operating means for the spurs disconnected from the heel part and adapted to be operatively engaged by the heel part when the latter isturned upward.

Other features of the invention, comprising certain combinations and arrangements of parts will be explained in the description and pointed out in the claims.

The invention will now be described in connection with the accompanying drawings and the several features will then be more particularlypointed out in the claims as required by the statutes.

Figure 1 represents in section and side elevation a last embodying this invention and located in operative position within a shoe. The heel part of the last is shown in dotted lines to indicate its position when it is in the shoe during the lasting and soling operations, and the forepart is shown as fastened to or braced against the shoe innersole to restrain it from rearward displacement by the tensioned upper when the heel part is withdrawn. for the heeling operation. Figs. 2 and 3 are perspective views, respectively, of the heel part and the forepart of the separable last. Fig. 4 shows an arrangement for use 1n mounting lnnersoles. 11 he new la t.v

The forepart of the last is indicated at 2 and the heel part at a, the line of separation between them being located back of the ends of the heel stifiener. The front face of the rear part 4: is shown as a single plane inclined forwardly and downwardly. The rear face of the forepart is reversely inclined in its upper portion to present a V-shaped clearance between it and the heel part when they are in extended position. The lower part of the rear face of the forepart is parallel with and abuts against the adjacent face of the heel part. The heel part has in its front face a plate 10 from which project forwardly and downwardly two claws or hooks 12 adapted to extend into slots in the forepart and to hook over and in front of a cross bar 16 which is set into the forepart just below the rearwardly inclined edge of the forepart. The plate 10 also has forwardly directed fingers ltwhich are located directly below the hooks 12 and are spaced from the ends of said hooks a distance slightly less than the width of the bar 16.

These fingers have upper faces adapted to hook under the bar 16 after the hooks 12 have first been hooked over said bar and the heel part of the last has been tipped from an upwardly and forwardly turned position down toward its operative position. The hooks and fingers thus embrace the bar 16 to prevent any relative movement of the two parts of the assembled last except the predetermined upward and forward turning of the heel part relatively to the forepart. For the purpose of restraining such movement except when the two parts are to be separated the heel part is provided with a strut 2O pivoted thereto and of such a length as to cause the lower end of the strut to wedge against the forepart of the last and to lock the strut down by such wedging action. A friction face plate 21 may be provided on the forepart for engagement by the strut. A stop 22 is located to prevent the strut from falling too low and the heel part is cut away to permit the strut to be turned upwardly for allowing the heel part to be tipped forwardly on the cross bar 16 to a position for disengagement from the fore- .part. The location of the bar 16 and the center of such tipping movement of the heel part will be selected to give a minimum of lengthening of the last as the heel part is turned up for removal from a shoe the upper of which is under tension from the lasting operation, or. is turned down for replacement after the heeling operation.

The forepart of the last is recessed longitudinally from its rear face to receive the lever 25 which is fulcrumed on a pin 26 and has the rearwardly extending and inclined pivoted spur or brace 28 and the oppositely inclined pivoted spur 30. To the lever is the lever.

also pivoted the connecting rod 32 which extends to and operates the rocker 34: which turns on pin 36 and from which depends the forwardly inclined spur 35. The bottom of the forepart has a metallic face-plate 40, or

it may be an inset plate, which is conveniently made of a suitable thickness of sheet metal formed with guide openings for the spurs 28, 30 and 85. This plate may conveniently be made of sheet metal from which guide flanges 42 for the spurs can be struck "up in forming the guide openings. The lever 25 has a conveniently formed operating head 45 shown as a laterally offset lip adapted to lie close against the face of the rear end of the forepart when the lever is rocked to set the spurs into the innersole. It will be noted that the spurs are all arranged with relation to the pivot of the operating lever to be projected outwardly through the plate 40 and driven into the innersole by a move ment of the operating lever in one direction and to be retracted by reverse movement of The spur 28 is inclined downwardly and rearwardly and serves to brace and fasten the forepart of the last firmly in the forepart of the shoe and securely retain it against rearward displacement or move ment in the direction to permit relaxation of the upper which has been tensioned over it in the lasting operation. The reverse inclination of the spurs and 35 prevent the innersole from being displaced lengthwise of the last as the spurs are all simultaneously forced into it. The heel part 1 may conveniently be used to engage the lip 1-5 for actuating the operating lever to drive the spurs into the innersole, said heel part for this purpose being turned up to engage the lip by impact or pressure if preferred. In this way a sharp blow can be struck on the lever to set, the spurs firmly into the work. For mounting innersoles on this last the innersoles will conveniently be arranged in holders T7 in stacks of assorted sizes and right and lefts against the toe end gage 4S and a side gage 19 as in Fig. 4 and the forepart of the last pressed down upon the top of the stack with its forepart also positioned against the gages. The holder may comprise innersole supporting members 56, 58 arranged under the toe and ball and having curved upper faces to allow the innersoles to bend in accordance with the curva ture of the last bottom. Each such member has positioning fingers to engage holes in the base to space said members adjustably for sizes of innersoles. After the forepart of the last has been pressed down upon the top one of the innersoles in a stack so supported the heel part will then be turned up to apply pressure, or to strike a sharp blow, against the lip 45 of the operating lever to force the spurs into the innersole.

For use in turning and lifting the heel part of the last the tool 50 is employed which comprises the pivotally connected members 52 the handle ends ofwhich are held separated by the spring 54: to contract the last engaging ends for ready insertion into the thimble of the last. Compression of the handle ends expands the opposite endsto cause them to grasp the last heel part for lifting or pulling it out of the shoe. One of said'members is provided with the blade '55 to be thrust under the lip 45 of lever 25 for retracting the lever if more force should be required for doing that than an operator can conveniently apply with his finger or thumb. The strut 20 may conveniently have a projection 23 to overlie head or lip 4L5 for preventing accidental retraction of the innersole engaging spurs, or a retainer having this function may be carried by the forepart of the last.

l/Vhen shoes are to be made by the aid of my novel last an innersole, which will preferably have been previously put into proper temper by moistening it as usual, will be mounted on the last bottom. This may be advantageously done by pressing the last forepart firmly down upon an innersole in the holder 47, the innersole and the last being both positioned against the gages L8, 49 to assure proper relation, and by them actuating the lever 25 to force the several:

spurs simultaneously into the inner face of the inner-sole. The reverse inclination of the spurs provides against displacement of the innersole lengthwise as the spurs are forced into it and prevents any longitudinal movement of the last forepart relatively to the innersole while the spurs remain in engagement with the innersole. The operation of the lever 25 may be efi'ected by hand pressure on the lip 45 and bypressing against or striking it with the heel part which can be turned for that purpose by the use of the tool 50 if desired. The heel part of the last is then locked in extended operative position by the strut 20. Having positioned and secured the innersole on the last bottom the shoe is assembled, pulled over, lasted,

welted and outsoled as usual and as is well understood. Preparatory to the heel attaching operation the strut 20 is loosened,

, ting or acquiring permanently the shape of lasting, 'welting and soling of another shoe so that the complement of heel parts required for a factory may be substantially less than that now needed. With the heel part of the last removed the heel is attached, and breasted also if desired, on an anvil which occupies the place of the heel part of the last. Then if desired the heel part can be replaced by reversing the manipulations by which it was unlocked and withdrawn. The heel part need not, however, be returned to the shoe for the fastened forepart sustains all the soft parts of the shoe against distortion by handling, the forepart preferably extending rearwardly of the ends of the heel stiffener, and the shoe is lighter with the heel part of the last out of it. When the shoe is completed the lever 25 will be manipulated l u Q to disengage the spurs from the innersole and the last be withdrawn from the shoe.

The lip 55 of tool 50 may be used if desired to engage under the head 45 of the lever for withdrawing the spurs. The advantages of this method will be apparent from the fore-' going description. The manner of using the last has been disclosed in connection with the description of the novel method.

Those improvements in methods of assembling innersoles upon lasts and of making shoes herein disclosed are not claimed in this application but form the subject-matter of a divisional application, Serial No. 45,778, filed Aug. 16, 1915.

The novel combination of a last having ioo gripping means with a holder for innersoles 7 herein disclosed is not claimed herein but is claimed in a divisional application Serial No. 45,777, filed Aug. 16, 1915. 1

Having therefore explained the nature of this invention and described its use I make I the following claims which I intend shall be construed and interpreted to cover all the patentable novelty of which the invention is possessed and for which I am entitled to protection under the statutes, whether or not every feature of the invention has been particularly pointed out elsewhere in this specification:

-1. In a last, a forepart, a rear part having a surface arranged to engage the major portion of the inside of the counter of a shoe and separately removable from the n ally operated means for actuating the spurs shoe, and means carried by said forepart for securing the forepart against rearward displacement in the shoe while the rear part is removed.

2. In a last, a forepart, a heel part separately removable from a shoe, and means forming a part of said forepart for connecting the forepart of the last to the shoe independently of the heel part for the purpose described.

8. In a last, a forepart, a heel part separately removable from a shoe, and means carried by the forepartof the last for establishing connection with the sole of the shoe and for maintaining connection with the sole of the shoe after the heel part of the last has been withdrawn from the shoe.

4. In. a last, a forepart, a heel part separately removable, and means for fastening the forepart of the last against rearward displacementin the shoe, comprising a member arranged in the forepart of the last for oblique rearward and downward engagement with the shoe sole.

5. In a last, a forepart, a heel part separately removable from a shoe, and a fastener located in the forepart and movable by the operator in a path inclined down wardly and rearwardly into engagement with the innersole to hold the forepart in position while the heel part is out of the shoe.

6. In a last, a forepart, a heel part separately removable from a shoe, spurs carried by the forepart of the last, and manurelatively to the shoe sole.

7. In a last, a forepart and a separable heel part provided respectively on their adjacent faces with a transverse bar and with a hook adapted to engage over the bar when the heel part is turned upwardly and with a finger adapted to engage under the bar when the heel part is turned down and to cooperate with the hook in locking the heel part to the bar.

8. In a last, a forepart and a separable heel part, the transverse bar 16 set into the rear face of the forepart, and the plate 10 set into the opposed face of the heel part and provided with the forwardly and downwardly directed hooks 1.2 to engage over the bar and with forwardly directed fingers 14E spaced from the ends of the hooks a distance slightly less than the width of the bar to cooperate with the hooks to secure the heel part to the bar.

9. In a last, a forepa-rt, a separable heel part, a transverse bar on the rear face of the forepart, a hook on the heel part adapted to engage over and in front of the top of the bar while the heel is turned up, a finger to engage under the bar when the heel part is turned down, and a strut carried by one of said parts to engage the other for locking the heel part against upward turning movement.

10. A last comprising a forepart, a device carried thereby for movement downwardly and backwardly into an innersole and arranged for operation while the forepart is in a shoe, and a heel part removable from the shoe while said device remains in holding engagement with the innersole.

11. A last comprising a forepart and a detachable heel part and having a brace adapted to operate independently of the reel part to hold the forepart against rearward displacement in the shoe.

12. In a last, a pair of spurs arranged in the rear portion of the forepart, a lever arranged to effect projection of the said spurs in oppositely inclined directions into an innersole on the last bottom, a spur arranged in the forward portion of the forepart, and connections from said lever to operate the last mentioned spur.

18. In a last, a forepart, a separately removable heel part, a spur located in the forward portion of the forepart, a spur located in the rear portion of the forepart, said spurs being inclined downwardly in opposite directions lengthwise of the last, and a single operating devicefor simultaneously projecting and retracting said spurs to secure and release the forepart of' the last independently of the heel part.

14. In a last, spurs, means for projecting the spurs at opposed inclinations into an innersole on the last bottom, and a sole plate on the last having offset portions forming spur guiding walls to direct and control the movement of the spurs.

15. In a last, spurs, a lever from which the spurs are loosely hung and which is adapted for movement to project the spurs at opposed inclinations into an innersole on the last bottom, and means to guide and direct movement of the spurs through the last bottom to cause them to hold the innersole against the face of the last bottom.

16. In a last a pivotally movable heel part, a forepart having spurs adapted to be projected into an innersole, and operating means for the spurs disconnected from the heel part and extending into position to be operatively engaged by the heel part when the latter is turned upward.

17. In a last, a forepart having spurs oppositely inclined longitudinally of the last and movable from within the last bottom outwardly to impale an innersole thereon, an operating lever for said spurs having a projection rearwardly fromthe forepart, and a heel part disconnected from said lever and movable to engage the lever by impact for driving the spurs into the innersole.

18. In a last a rear part movable out of normal relation to the remainder of the last in order to facilitate heeling the shoe independently of said rear part, and means In testimony whereof I have signed my for rigidly holding the rear part in normal name to this specification in the presence relation to the remainder of the last, the of two subscribing Witnesses.

remainder of the last being constructed and ARTHUR L. RUSSELL. arranged to hold the fore part of the shoe Witnesses:

under lasting tension While said rear part MARTHA W. Comm,

is displaced. FR DERICK L. EDMANDS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

